Nitrated carbohydrate explosive and process of manufacture



Patented Mar l8, 193d Hurra snares Parana orrica PHILIP G. 'W'RIGHTS MAN, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. D'lT POINT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE NITRATED CARBOHYDRATE EXPLOSTVE AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE 1W0 Drawing.

This invention relates to a process of nitrating carbohydrates and polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms by mixing them with liquid polyhydroxy alcohols 5 and subjecting them to the action of a nitrating acid, and more articularly to the nitration of solutions of sucrose and sorbitol in either glycerinor glycol, and also to the explosive produced thereby.

1 Solutions of carbohydrates, such as sucrose and glucose in liquid polyhydroxy alcohols, such as glycerin and ethylene glycol, have been used in the manufacture of liquid dynamite ingredient s'. Considering yield, stability, explosive properties, etc., the most satisfactory carbohydrate has been sucrose in the form of cane or beet sugar. Its use in solution has been thus far practically limited to a maximum of to owing to its solubility in and rate of crystallization out of polyhydric alcohol medium. Higher proportions of carbohydrates in solution may be employed by usingmore soluble carbohydrates, vsuch as glucose or fructose, but these aldoses and ketoses are not as desirable as sucrose, principally because of lowyield and instability.

This invention has as an object the development of a process for the nitration ofsolutions of carbohydrates and polyhydroxy alcohols having from four tosix carbon atoms in. liquid polyhydroxy alcohols. A further object is to produce a liquid explosive having a relatively higli carbohydrate content, and

having a substantially low freezing point.

Further objects will appear hereinafter.

These objects are accomplished by the following invention which consists essentially in nitrating a mixture of carbohydrates and polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms and liquid polyhydroxy alcohols.

The materials constituting the starting materials used in the process of my invention are carbohydrates, polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms, and liquid polyhydroxy alcohols.

The carbohydrates may be either sucrose, glucose, at fructose, or other carbohydrates,

and excellent explosive properties.

'7 Application filed August 17, 1928; Serial No. 200,400.

but I prefer to use sucrose, although my invention is not limited to its use.

The polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms which I have found satisfactory are those containing from four to six carbon atoms. It is not necessary that each carbon atom contain-a hydroxyl group. F or instance, I may use mannitol, sorbitol, dulcitol, ramnitol, arabitol, xylitol, pentaerythritol, erythritol, or other similar compounds which will be apparent from the disclosure h'erein. One method of preparing these compounds is by hydrogenating the desired aldoses or ketoses. It has been found that these hydrogenated sugars possess the advantages of good stability, high nitrogen, It is highly desirable to use nitrated polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms in nitrated carbohydrate explosives, since it is more economical to use carbohydrate ingredients as freezing point depressants. One feature of my invention is the increase in the proportion of carbohydrate and the lowering of the freezing point of the explosive by using a mixture of carbohydrate and hydrogenated carbohydrate. The polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms which I have found satisfactory need not be produced by the process of hydrogenation, however, but nay be obtained from other sources, if desire I have also discovered that mixtures of nitrated carbohydrates and nitrated polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoinscan be successfully employed with nitrated liquid polyhydroxy alcohols in the preparation of low freezing liquid explosives satisfactory. for use in dynamites. I have further discovered that by dissolving a polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms in addition to a carbohydrate in a liquid polyhydroxy alcohol me dium, the practical maximum proportion of carbohydrate may be retained in solution in addition to substantial proportions of polyhydrox'y alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms and that these solutions are satisfactory for use in the production of example. By increasing the proportion of glycol, the viscosity of the nitrated product is lowered, and as a consequence the resulting explosive contains high proportions of nitrated carbohydrates and nitr'ated polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carhon atoms, and is more easily handled in manufacture.

Althou h T may use any carbohydrate and any polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to. six carbon atoms in any liquid polyhy- .droxy alcohol medium, a preferred example of my invention is'a solution of to 25% sucrose and from 5% to 50% sorbitol dissolved or suspended in the glycerin, or ethylone glycol, or a mixture of glycerin and ethylene glycol. Although it is not essential,

I prefer to ,dissolve the carbohydrate and polyhydroxy-alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms. But either or both may be suspended in the mixture, or the polyhydroxy'alcohol having from four to six car.-

bon atoms may benitrated alone, before or.

after the other ingredients.

Ewample.ln carrying out my process, the proportions of carbohydrate, and polyhydroxy alcohols having from fourto six carbonatoms and liquid polyhydroxy alcohols may, for example, be as follows:

- to sucrose 10% to sorbitol 10% to glycerin 10% to 60% ethylene glycol 15% to 25% sucrose 5% to 50% sorbitol 25% to glycerin It is, of course, to be understood that T may use any carbohydrate and any polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms in any liquid polyhydroxy alcohol medium. Although itis not essential, it is desirable that the carbohydrate and polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms be dissolved,but either or both may be suspended in the mixture or the polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms may be nitrated alone, or before or after. the other ingredients. .The

nitration s eparation, Washing, and neutral ization are carried out in the same manner.

as is usually employed in the case of solutions of cane sugar in glycerin. A stabilizer such as diphenylamine may be added, if desired.

' By proceeding in the manner I have described, I obtain an explosive having a relatively high proportion of carbohydrate,

low freezing" point, and a low viscosity. The explosive oil thus produced is an excellent explosve-and may be handled with facility. i As many apparently Widely different embodiments of this invention may be made Without departing from thespirit thereof, it

is to be understood that T do not Wish to limit myself to the specific embodiments thereof, except as indicated in the a ppended claims. a

I claim:

1. The process of producing explosives- Which comprises nitrating mixtures of can.

bohydrates and polyhydroxy alcohols having' from four to six carbon atoms and liquid polyhydroxy alcohols. v y

2. A process of producing explosives containing nitrated carbohydrate which com trating a solution of carbohydrate and polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms in liquid polyhydroxy alcohol,

said solution containing more than 5% polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms and the practical maximum pr0- portion of carbohydrate. V

4. The process of producing liquid'explo nitrated carbohydrates v sives containing Which comprises nitrating a mixture 01% car bohydrates and polyhydroxy alcohols con-- taining from four to six carbon atcms'in liquid polyhydroxy alcohol medium.

5. The process of claim l wherein the car bohydrate is sucrose.

6. The process of claim t wherein the solid polyhydroxy alcoholv having from four to six carbon atoms is taken from a group ineluding erythritol and sorb1to l.-

7. The process of claim l wherein the liduid polyhydroxyalcohol is a mixture of glyc- 3 erin and ethylene glycol.

8. The process of claim 4: wherein the liquid polyhydroxy alcohol is taken from a group consisting of ethylene glycol and glycerine.

9. A process of producing explosives comprising nitrating a mixture of sucrose, polyhydroxy alcohol taken from a group consisting of erythritol and sorbitol and a liquid polyhydroxy alcohol. l

10. A process of producing explosives which comprises 'nitrating a mixture of sucrose, sorbitol, and a liquid polyhydroxy alcohol taken from a group consisting of glycerin and ethylene glycol.

11. A process of producing explosives which comprises nitrating a mixture containing from 15 per cent to 25 per cent of sucrose, 5 per cent to 50 per cent of sorbitol, and a liquid polyhydroxy alcohcl.

12. An eirplosive-comprisin la nitrhted carbohydrate, nitrated polyhy roxylalcohol havingfrom 'four to six carbon atoms, and

nitreted liquid p'qlyhydroxy alcohol.

13. An explosive which comprises Iiitrated sucrose, nitreted p'olyhydroxy alcohol taken from a group consisting of erythritol and -sorbitol, nitroglycerin and ethylene glycol V dim'trate.

14. An explosive comprises the iiitrated mixture of 20% to 25% "sucrose and" l to 50% polyhydroxy alcohol taken from a grou consisting of erythritol vand sorbitol an the remainder polyhyclroxy alcoholl '15..'A;-n explosive which-'"comprisesthe nitrated mixture of to sucrose and.

10% to 50% polyhydroxy alcohol taken from a. group consistingof erythritol and sorbitol and the remainder 'a mixture of glycerin and 20 ethylene glycol.

- PHILIP G, lWRIGHTSM s 

